From the President of the JMU Alumni Association:
I'm delighted to report that on April 24, the JMU Alumni Association celebrated a wonderful Madison tradition, and I had the pleasure of welcoming more than 3,500 students from the Class of 2006 to the alumni association. The annual Candlelight Induction Ceremony was held in front of Wilson Hall. These young men and women, who graduate on May 6, are transitioning from active students to involved alumni. As Dr. Linwood H. Rose said recently to the graduates, "On May 6, you will celebrate the closing of a chapter of your life that has broadened your intellectual horizons and given you friends and memories that will last a lifetime. It is my hope that JMU has successfully prepared you to enter the next phase of your life with the confidence needed to succeed." On behalf of the 80,000 alumni of JMU, I, too, congratulate the Class of 2006 on this milestone and look forward to supporting and strengthening their connection and involvement with JMU.

Another tradition recently celebrated was the induction of the Class of 1956 to the Bluestone Society. The events of Reunion Weekend, April 7-8, marked this milestone with the classes of 1946, 1951, 1961 and 1966. More than 250 alumni from Madison College attended reunion weekend. In addition to the Bluestone Society recognition, another highlight was Dr. Rose's special recognition of the alums of 1946 as they marked their 60th anniversary.

And, speaking of class milestones, I want to personally invite alumni from the classes of 1976, 1986 and 1996 to participate in JMU's Homecoming Gala on Friday, Oct. 20. Your participation is key to this event's success. Celebrating your class milestones is just one of the highlights of this annual dinner, which honors alumni and chapters around the country for their support to the university and the alumni association. All alumni are invited to participate, please submit your name and address to the Office of Alumni Relations by e-mailing alumni_link@jmu.edu (please put "Homecoming Gala 2006" in the subject heading) or call 1 (888) JMU-ALUM for details.

Warmest regards,
Elaine Toth Hinsdale ('85)
President, JMU Alumni Association

The Class of 2006 celebrates at the annual JMU Alumni Association's Candlelight Induction Ceremony on April 24 on the Quad.

Kim Dixon

Kim Dixon joined the Alumni Relations staff in April as assistant director of alumni relations and chapter liaison. She will assist in the coordination of JMU alumni chapter activities and events. "I look forward to working with JMU alumni leaders to continue to build upon the strong affinity for the university that already exists among the alumni, as well as serve as a liaison to keep alumni connected with new developments taking place at JMU," says Dixon. A Danville, Va., native, Dixon earned her B.A. in sociology from the University of Virginia. In May, she will graduate from George Washington University with a master's degree in tourism administration with dual concentrations in events and sports management.

Dixon's professional experience has included event coordination, hospitality management and sales. She worked in the UVA Conference Services Office and has worked in the private sector to coordinate meetings, events and tours for corporations, individual groups and private organizations.

JMU's Alumni Relations team has implemented a new reunion program, the Fall Reunion, which will be held on Sept. 2 for the classes of 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986, 1981, 1976 and 1971. There will be a university-sponsored celebration before the first home football game of the year, (Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. against Bloomsburg). Watch your mail, e-mail and "BTL" for more information.

By Darcie Roberge ('06)

JMU alumni have made their purple and gold presence known in the Centennial State through activities with the Colorado Alumni Chapter. Alumni participation has increased drastically under the last four year's leadership by Sean Harrington ('96). "We've grown from hosting one annual event to averaging 12 to 14 events per year," says the JMU Alumni Association board member. "We've created our own Web site and e-mail distribution system and have hosted events featuring university dignitaries, including Dean of the College of Business Dr. Bob Reid and Vice President for University Advancement Dr. Joanne Carr."

About 850 Dukes live and work in Colorado, but Harrington says that he only has e-mail addresses for about 150. [Get registered, alumni!] "We really want to interact with more alums, and e-mail is the best way for us to keep everyone informed about our activities," Harrington says. "We also need people to keep their addresses up to date with JMU. If we don't know they're in the Centennial State, we can't interact with them."

Colorado alumni have hosted a JMU Day ski trip to Breckenridge, a Homecoming trip, Phil Vassar concert events and happy hour gatherings. The Rocky Mountain Dukes are currently planning the annual summer family picnic and fundraising for a book scholarship program. Participation in a service-oriented event will be discussed at the next meeting on May 18.

Harrington says that he has a supportive group of alumni helping him organize chapter events. Geoff Selzer ('95), Kristin Sanford ('95), Janet Miller ('94), Tracy Weise ('94), Stacey Todd ('02), Meredith Geary ('03), Peter Salmon ('03) and Trish Heisdorffer ('85) are among the chapter's leaders.

Are you an alum living in Colorado? Want to get involved? Visit the chapter's Web site at www.RockyMountainDukes.com Or, attend the next chapter meeting on May 18. RSVP to: ColoradoChpt@alumni.jmu.edu, because the group is reserving a table (6 p.m. Rio Grande — LoDo, 15th St & Blake Street, on the patio). Look for Sean in his yellow JMU hat.

Thirteen Denver alumni chat with JMU Vice President for University Advancement Dr. Joanne Carr (in yellow jacket at rear) at a chapter event at Hemingways.

Tim Eades ('00) and Curtis Perry ('95) are new co-presidents of the Richmond Dukes Chapter. Big thanks to Doug Krohn ('99), outgoing president, for his leadership. Upcoming Richmond chapter events include the Duke Club's Spring Coaches Tour on May 4. Come for dinner in a country club setting and hear Coach Mickey Matthews, Coach Dean Keaner, Coach Kenny Brooks ('92) and Athletics Director Jeff Bourne speak. On June 8, the Richmond Chapter of the Duke Club will host the annual Golf Tournament. Non-Duke Club members are welcome to participate. Curtis Perry says the chapter's last Happy Hour event at Big Daddy's in the Heart of Downtown Richmond was a success. "We were able to get about 75 alumni to attend with short notice," he says. "It was such a huge success that we're going to continue these events on a monthly basis. The idea is to have a happy hour on the second Thursday of every month. The location and time will not change." The next Richmond Dukes Happy Hour will be May 11 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Big Daddy's (1718 East Main Street). Read more at www.richmonddukes.com/.

"We really need fellow alumni's help for our Relay for Life team," says JMU Atlanta Chapter President Melissa Palladino Roberts ('98). "It's a very small time and monetary commitment for a cause that most of us, unfortunately, can relate to, cancer. There is no running involved, just light walking around a high school track. Come join us for a good time and for an even better cause. The Relay is May 19-20 at North Atlanta High School." Click here to sign up for the JMU Atlanta Relay for Life Team or to make a donation. Also, planning has begun for our annual Braves Outing. The chapter will attend the June 4 Braves game, so mark your calendars and stay tuned for details: www.jmuatlanta.com/.

Atlanta alumni sponsored a beverage booth at the Dogwood Festival, April 7-9, and raised more than $1,700 for the American Cancer Society. Here, alumni gather around future Duke Kylie Roberts during the Atlanta Chapter's Spring Picnic, April 22.

The Chicago-Area Alumni Chapter held April's Purple Thursday happy hour at Duke's Bar and Grill in Lincoln Park. Eric McCann ('99) says, "It's great to see the Chicago chapter growing. The chapter is only a year old, and we've still had more tan 50 Dukes attend events." The chapter is organizing a picnic at Ravinia to hear The BoDeans perform in early June as well as looking forward to the upcoming Cubs game outing on May 27. Join alumni at the Friendly Confines to watch the Chicago Cubs take on the Atlanta Braves. Tickets are $25 and on sale now on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information on chapter events or to get involved, please visit the chapter's Web site, www.chicagodukes.com, or contact Chapter President Raminder Chadha ('93) at turban8r@gmail.com.

Upcoming chapter events include a "Welcome to Chicago" picnic in August for new alums as well as summer gatherings at Chicago's many festivals. If you have location ideas for May's Purple Thursday, May 11 at 7 p.m., please contact Danielle Turley ('00) at dani46@yahoo.com.

A trio of Dukes at April's Purple Thursday Happy Hour at Duke's Bar: (l-r) Chuck Hriczak ('00), Kelly Fricker ('00) and Ken Horinko ('01).

Phil Antis ('97) and his wife, Katie Antis ('98), took the helm of the New Orleans Chapter last spring. "The chapter was pretty non-functioning at that time, and we were trying to get things running," says Phil. "We had a list of current alumni in the city and were trying to contact those people. But, as you may have figured, all those plans went out the window with Hurricane Katrina. Who knows if the alumni are even back in the city? Now that things are settling down for us personally—although our house is still being repaired—we should be ready to try to get this thing started again." Antis asks New Orleans-area alumni to contact him so the chapter can start planning some events. If you live in or around New Orleans, please contact Antis at pjantis@yahoo.com, or (504) 427-8416.

The Tidewater Chapter's third annual scholarship fundraising Beach Party is June 10 in Norfolk. Buy your tickets before May 26 to take advantage of early bird pricing: (adults $22, children (ages 12 -6) $6, children 5 and under, free). Register online, or call 1 (888) JMU-ALUM. The Beach Party features a cookout on the deck (hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken and sides), sodas, adult beverages, kids' games, DJ entertainment and lots of opportunity to hang out with Dukes. A distinguished list of alumni entrepreneurs (see below) have given the Tidewater Chapter a head-start on its annual fundraising goal of $5,000, and organizers are banking on the generosity of raffle prize donors and ticket buyers to surpass the goal. Promote your business and be the talk of the party by donating the grand prize (e-mail Denise Rembis at denise.rembis@gmail.com).

Many thanks to the following JMU alumni businesses who are financially supporting the Annual Beach Party and the Tidewater Chapter scholarship:

• Re/Max Alliance, Stephanie Clark ('90)
• Long John Silver's, David Grimm ('74)
• Marathon Development Group Inc., Buddy Gadams ('93)
• Beach Ford, Bob Barton ('96)
• Dodl & McKinney, Mark McKinney ('92)
• Troutman Sanders, John C. Lynch ('91)
• Ghent Chiropractic, J.C. ('95) and Jennifer Clayton ('96)

Also, if you live in the Hampton Roads area, check out the Tidewater Chapter's monthly Third Thursday happy hour. Become a regular and enjoy free drinks and other great prizes through a new "frequent fraternizer" card program developed by chapter member Alison Cooper ('93). Check out all Tidewater Chapter events at the Web site.

As a recent regular of the Tidewater Chapter's Third Thursday, "new guy" Jason ('05) gets put in charge of signage.

Metro Dukes will participate in Relay for Life on May 20-21, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., at South Lakes High School in Reston. Put up your "Dukes" to help fight cancer. There are no team meetings and fundraising can be done entirely online. Join the Metro Dukes Relay for Life team for the American Cancer Society's largest fundraiser by visiting the chapter Web site and clicking on the events link. For more information, please contact the team captains, Caroline Chin at caroline.s.chin@gmail.com or Lauren Maguire at laurenmmaguire@gmail.com.

Bookworms, join the Metro Dukes Book Club. The next meeting is June 5 at 7 p.m. at Cosi in Ballston, Va., (4250 Fairfax Drive). The club will discuss A Million Little Pieces by James Frey. To participate or join the Book Club, please contact Jennie Lin ('02) at MetroDukesBookClub@yahoo.com.

By Nicole Bono ('01)

On May 24, the JMU Alumni Professional Network will host a luncheon with keynote speaker Roderick "Rod" Rohrer ('85), who is a partner and vice president of sales for Celerity IT, LLC. Rohrer will speak on "Entrepreneurial Success." Join the APN for a luncheon at Clydes in Tyson's Corner from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Alumni Professional Network consists of JMU professionals from all walks of life who are interested in expanding their personal and professional networks among all JMU alumni. The APN seeks members from all professionals in the Washington, D.C.-metro area. If you are a working professional in the metro area, the APN is for you. The APN encourages the development of relationships that will be personally and professionally valuable to the JMU community in D.C. To register for the May 24 luncheon, or to learn more, visit the APN online calendar.

By Elizabeth Puritz ('07),
Student Ambassadors Vice President for Alumni

Weekly, I stand before Student Ambassadors and try to convey my enthusiasm for spending time with JMU alumni. Admittedly, I'm so excited sometimes that my fellow Ambassadors must think I'm crazy. None of our new members and most of our old members have yet spent such quality time with alumni as me. My enthusiasm and genuine love for Madison alumni was discovered just over a year ago when I attended the 2005 Bluestone Society Dinner. This year, the Reunion Weekend spotlight was on the Class of 1956. Watching this lively group of Madison alums walk up and receive a Bluestone Society medal for reaching their 50th reunion easily made the "Top 10" list of my Madison experiences, and it had a great impact on my fellow Student Ambassadors. Sitting down to meals with alumni at Reunion Weekend, exchanging stories of old and new, exploring new traditions and even sharing hugs allowed many Student Ambassadors to experience the excitement I have been jabbering about for weeks. Please don't miss your Madison reunion. It's worth it!

Student Ambassador Elizabeth Puritz ('07), second from left, helped the JMU Alumni Relations staff plan and execute Reunion Weekend in April. Here, she chats with Bluestone Society inductees George Leffel ('56) and Geraldine "Gerry" Walker Earman ('56). Second from right is Gerry's husband, John Earman.

The JMU Office of Alumni Relations seeks nominations for 2006 Distinguished Alumni Awards. The deadline to nominate a fellow alum is May 16. Click here to see a complete list of alumni association awards. To nominate a fellow alum for an award, please e-mail alumni_link@jmu.edu.

Mark your calendars for Oct. 20-21 and reserve your hotel accommodations early for Homecoming 2006. Alumni award recipients will be honored at the annual Homecoming Gala. If you would like to participate in the gala, please submit your name and address to the Office of Alumni Relations by e-mailing alumni_link@jmu.edu (please put Homecoming Gala 2006 in the subject heading), or call 1 (888) JMU-ALUM.

There are more than 20,000 alumni registered at JMU's Online Community. Are you missing out? Keep in touch with alumni and share your career and personal news by registering at www.alumniconnections.com/olc/pub/JMD. Use the Class Notes feature to tell your friends about engagements, marriages, births or career news, and see your notes online. The new online community features also give alumni the opportunity to look up classmates and friends, use career networking services, upload pictures, see what events are happening in their area, and sign up for a free permanent e-mail forwarding address. Membership is free and exclusive to JMU alumni. Online Class Notes will not replace the notes that appear in the university magazine, Madison. Your submissions will still be forwarded to the magazine, which will continue to publish career and recent personal news.

May 6 — Commencement, Bridgeforth Stadium, 8:30 a.m.

Sept. 2 — Fall Reunions and first home football game (vs. Bloomsburg State)

Oct. 7 — Family Weekend

Oct. 20-21 — Homecoming 2006 and Homecoming Gala

For more detailed information on any of the above listed events, please call the JMU Office of Alumni Relations, toll free 1 (888) JMU-ALUM, or visit the online calendar.

Madison's undergraduate program in business ranks among the nation's top 50 — at No. 35 — in BusinessWeek's first-ever comprehensive ranking of the nation's best undergraduate business schools. The University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business is ranked No. 1, followed by the University of Virginia's McIntire School at No. 2, and Notre Dame, MIT and Emory rounding out the top five. The private University of Richmond's Robins School ranked 25th, and is the only other Virginia school in the top 50. For details on the ranked business schools and the methodology used, go to the Web site at www.businessweek.com/bschools/undergraduate/. For more information on JMU's College of Business, visit the Web site at www.jmu.edu/cob.

U.S. Sen. George Allen, Virginia's junior senator since 2001 and its governor from 1994 to 1998, will speak at Madison's spring commencement Saturday, May 6. JMU will confer about 3,025 bachelor's degrees, 330 master's degrees and nine doctoral degrees. Students will graduate at the main ceremony that begins at 8:30 a.m. in Bridgeforth Stadium, then will be recognized individually at college ceremonies that begin about 11:30 a.m. at various campus locations. For details on commencement, visit the Web site at www.jmu.edu/commencement/. U.S. Army Gen. William S. Wallace, who led the Army's attack on Baghdad in Operation Iraqi Freedom and today heads the Army's Training and Doctrine Command, will be the guest speaker at the 3 p.m. commissioning ceremony for 26 second lieutenants graduating May 6 from JMU. It will be held in Memorial Hall Auditorium (site of the old Harrisonburg High School). Six of the 26 Army ROTC seniors were selected as Distinguished Military Graduates by the U.S. Army Cadet Command for their accomplishments in military training, leadership and academics: Amanda Bellistri of Lewes, Del.; and from Virginia, Christopher Gillispie of Midlothian; Christopher Greer of Annandale; Erik Stanfield of Lee Hall; Nicole Traynor of Hampton; and Andrew Ware of Hampton.

U.S. Sen. George Allen and U.S. Army Gen. William S. Wallace will speak during commencement and commissioning ceremonies on Saturday, May 6.

The JMU Center for the Promotion of Physical Activity for Girls and Women now carries the names of two women instrumental in its creation and mission. During a brief ceremony April 4, the research center was dubbed the Morrison-Bruce Center in honor of Drs. Lee Morrison and Pat Bruce, both former JMU faculty. Morrison was a teacher and administrator at Madison from 1954 to 1989, and coached everything from team sports to modern, folk and social dance, and eventually served as associate athletic director. Bruce taught and coached at Madison from 1961 until 1989, teaching swimming, sport psychology, motor learning and sport sociology; supervised student teachers; advised Zeta Tau Alpha sorority; was faculty senate speaker for two years; helped found the Faculty Women's Caucus and served as its president; and directed the Porpoise Club, a synchronized swimming club, for several years. The center was established in 2004 in JMU's department of kinesiology to develop and offer activities promoting physical activity for girls and women and to enhance their knowledge of health issues. For more information on the Morrison-Bruce Center, go to Web site at www.jmu.edu/kinesiology/cppagw.

Drs. Lee Morrison and Pat Bruce at the surprise naming ceremony.

Allison Abbott

Allison Jane Abbott, a May 2005 honors graduate of JMU, has received an award of excellence from the honor society Phi Kappa Phi for 2006-07. Abbott graduated from JMU with honors, summa cum laude, and with distinction, as an honors scholar studying under Dr. Jennifer Coffman, in earning a bachelor of science degree in anthropology last spring. With the award, Abbott will be able to pursue a Ph.D. in anthropology at the University of Florida. Abbott is among 100 students nationwide to receive a Phi Kappa Phi fellowship or award of excellence. Currently, 60 fellowships of $5,000 and 40 awards of excellence of $2,000 are awarded annually. Abbott, the daughter of Ed and Mary Ann Abbott, lives in Keezletown. Phi Kappa Phi is the nation's oldest, largest and most selective all-discipline honor society.

Erin Driscoll

Erin Driscoll, who earned a bachelor's degree in music from JMU in 2003, won a 2006 Helen Hayes Award April 17 as "Outstanding Lead Actress, Resident Musical," for her portrayal of Hope Cladwell in "Urinetown" at the Signature Theatre in Washington, D.C. Driscoll was one of three JMU graduates nominated for the 2006 awards, which recognize excellence in professional theater in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area and are among the most prestigious cultural honors in the nation. For more information on the Helen Hayes Awards, go to the Web site at www.helenhayes.org.

Two JMU seniors who graduate May 6 represented Congressional districts at a five-day simulation of the U.S. House of Representatives held April 17-21 in Washington, D.C., and one of the two will serve as the equivalent of House majority or minority leader. Jason Yuckenberg of Centreville, Va., who majored in public administration and minored in political communication and served on the Honor Council at JMU, was selected to serve as Democratic Leader at the inaugural U.S. Model House of Representatives, a nationwide civic engagement and leadership program for college students. Yuckenberg represented the District of Columbia. Senior Lucy Hutchinson, an international affairs major from Chantilly, Va., represent Virginia's 10th district. Hutchinson is a student government senator and finance chair, and JMU's first fellow with the Center for the Study of the Presidency, a Washington, D.C.-based, non-profit organization focused on educating young leaders. More information on the program is available at www.aysf.org.

Lucy Hutchinson and Jason Yuckenberg

President Bush and Treasury Secretary John Snow visited the new facility of seven-year-old Europa Stone Distributors in Sterling, Va., April 17 and received a tour of the company from JMU alumnus Adam Mahmud. Mahmud, a Europa Stone vice president, earned a bachelor of arts degree in 1993 from JMU, and an MBA from Virginia Tech in 1997. He is an owner of Europa Stone, a leading wholesale distributor of natural stone in the mid-Atlantic, with its president, Carlos Varela, and Owen Werthmann, vice president of finance and human resources.

Three top performers from the more successful programs in JMU athletics history and an all-time student-athlete were inducted into JMU's Athletic Hall of Fame April 20. The inductees include Dr. Mark Gabriele (Class of '95), a member of four men's swimming and diving conference championship teams; Alisa Harris ('88), a member of three women's basketball teams that won league titles and advanced to the NCAA Tournament "Sweet 16"; Matt Holthaus ('95), a men's track and field All-America and a two-time male student-athlete of the year; and Carole Thate ('96), who led JMU's field hockey team to an NCAA crown and was a national player of the year. Induction ceremonies were part of the Greater Madison Inc. Sports Banquet. This year's class of inductees will be the 19th for JMU's Athletic Hall of Fame.

JMU's athletes of the year and scholar-athletes of the year were recognized April 20 at the Greater Madison Inc. Athletic Banquet. Soccer player Kim Argy of Oak Hill, Va., and tennis player Ashley Reyher of Williamsburg, Va., were named as female scholar-athletes of the year, and football player Matt Magerko of Farnham, Va., was named male scholar-athlete of the year. Cross-country and track-field performer Shannon Saunders of Forest, Va., and field-hockey player Baillie Versfeld of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, were named female athletes of the year, while archer Braden Gellenthien of Hudson, Mass., and football player Tony LeZotte of Augusta, Ga., were selected as male athletes of the year. JMU student-athletes who have had a 3.0 grade-point average or better during either of JMU's two most-recent semesters also were recognized. For more information on the honorees, click here.

The 2006 JMU women's basketball team awards were announced April 13. The awards are:

• Most Valuable Player (co-recipient) and Courage Award (co-recipient): Junior Meredith Alexis of Hanover Township, Pa.
• Most Valuable Player (co-recipient) and Hustle Award: Sophomore Tamera Young of Wilmington, N.C.
• Attitude Award, Defensive Award; Leadership Award (co-recipient): Junior Shirley McCall ov Collinsville, Va.
• Courage Award (co-recipient): Junior Lesley Dickinson of Queens Village, N.Y.
• Most Improved Player Award and Leadership Award (co-recipient): Junior Andrea Benvenuto of Ancaster, Ontario.
• Most Spirited and Unselfish Contribution Award: Sophomore Jasmin Lawrence of Queens, N.Y.
• Newcomer of the Year: Freshman Kisha Stokes of New York, N.Y.
• Brenda Yankey received the Crown Club award for Member of the Year, an award presented by the team's booster organization.

Chris Wiesehan, who has coaching experience in the National Football League and in four Division I college programs, was named wide-receivers coach at JMU in early April, and he worked with the Dukes during the team's spring practice period. Last season, Wiesehan worked as an offensive assistance with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; he previously coached at Northern Arizona University, the University of Buffalo, the University of Notre Dame, Purdue University and Fort Hayes (Kan.) State University. Wiesehan received his bachelor's degree in English from Wabash (Ind.) College in 1994 and a master's degree in athletic administration from Fort Hayes State in 1996. He received 1993 All-America honors as a wide receiver/returner at Wabash and was the team's receiver of the year for three straight seasons.

Football and men's basketball fans in the Hampton Roads area will continue to hear the Dukes' games through 2008-09 on ESPN Radio 1310-AM thanks to a three-year agreement between JMU and Max Media. ESPN 1310 has carried Dukes' games for six seasons. The station will carry all Dukes' football games live, starting with next season's Sept. 6 opener against Bloomsburg, while the men's basketball games will be presented live or tape delayed. The Dukes' Huddle show, with head football coach Mickey Matthews and head men's basketball coach Dean Keener, also will air on ESPN 1310. The Dukes' network flagship station is WSVA, 550 AM in Harrisonburg; the newest affiliate is WMET, 1160 AM in Washington, D.C. WTOX 1480 in Richmond and WTOY 1480 in Roanoke are expected to continue as affiliates in 2006-07, pending final approval.